The specific aims of this project are to develop new, efficient, and general syntheses of the anticancer plant alkaloid ellipticine and related pyridocarbazoles. It is anticipated that the proposed synthetic methodology will make available gram quantities of these compounds for anticancer screening. Syntheses are proposed which feature highly regioselective reactions between lithioindoles and pyridine dicarboxylic acid anhydrides. The methodology is applied to the synthesis of the highly potent anticancer 9-oxygenated ellipticines and to new ellipticine derivtives for structure-activity screening studies. It is our intent to prepare novel bis- and tris- ellipticines as potential nucleic acid polyintercalators. These molecules may represent a new class of highly active anticancer agents. Other proposed synthetic targets that may have exceptional anticancer activity are an ellipticine-bisantrene analogue and several ellipticine-platinum complexes. It is our long-term objective to make contributions to the total synthesis of natural products, particularly those possessing medicinal value to mankind. More specifically, it is our research goal to develop new and better chemotherapeutic drugs with which the oncologist can more effectively control human cancer.